Emily W. Jensen: Today in the Bloggernacle: Redesigned family group sheets and fundraiser opportunities

Check out the new Volunteer and Contribute section on LDS.org. Plus organize your family history with redesigned group records. Plus 10 steps for writing query letters.

Fundraiser opportunities: Check out his great use of blog technology, an ongoing “Fundraisers for Others” list, which is “a new section to encourage philanthropy. I will post here the projects I run into from friends, family, and other worthy causes. Feel free to look through each of them and by all means, pull out your wallet and do some good!” If you scroll down to the July 1 entry, you’ll find a new “Volunteer and Contribute” section on LDS.org. Awesome.

Record redesigns: This blogger/designer decided to try his hand at some “Family Group Record Redesigns” to make better use of white space (and take out the many, many lines) that one finds on the original version. I really like his two creations, but it’s a work in progress. As he says, “I see these as initial explorations into the area of family group record design — there’s still a lot of work to be done, and I’ve got lots of other ideas for ways to visualize family history data.”

Query letter: If you’re looking to publish that great novel/story you just wrote, then you must check out these “10 Steps to a Good Query Letter” that include “Do research. Research the publishing house you’re sending it to. Read the submission guidelines on their website. Make sure they are looking for manuscripts in your genre/area.” Also, “Pitch. Give a brief synopsis. Who is your target audience? Why will they buy it as opposed to the 27 others like it on the shelf? Again, be realistic. You could say, ‘Readers who enjoyed ABC might also enjoy this book.’” Click to read the other eight great steps.